The Last Taboo

'The authors truly deserve credit for bringing out into the open a subject we instinctively avoid.' HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Chairperson, UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation 'There are many untold and fascinating stories in the world of sanitation. This book tells these stories like they have never been told before, drawing them together into the epic tale of how poor communities are battling to clean up their neighbourhoods, sometimes with help from dedicated professionals, often against all odds.' Sandy Cairncross, Professor of Environmental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 'The authors of this book bring out of the shadows an unmentionable subject, and call for a new sanitary revolution - on behalf of the environment and people's dignity. I endorse their call, and recommend this book for spelling out the urgency of the crisis.' Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi 'This book is highly readable, exhaustively informative, and will be of considerable help to those trying to adapt and redesign toilet technologies for local conditions. Its multifaceted approach has important implications for attaining the Millennium Development Goal for sanitation.' Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation 'The lack of sanitation endured by 2.6 billion people is a hidden international scandal. It is the principal reason for the spread of diarrhoeal diseases and the toll they take on human lives. This book makes us think about these things, and does so with great power. The authors truly deserve credit for bringing out into the open a subject we instinctively avoid.' HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Chairperson, UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation

Maggie Black has written several books on water, sanitation and development such as The No-Nonsense Guide to International Development (New Internationalist, 2007). Ben Fawcett is an environmental health engineer and was until recently a lecturer at the University of Southampton, UK.

Foreword * Preface * A Short History of the Unmentionable * Runaway Urbanization and the Rediscovery of Filth * In Dignity and Health * Pit Stops: The Expanding Technological Menu * Selling Sanitation to New Users * Shitty Livelihoods, or What? * Bringing on the New Sanitary Revolution * Index